


Letters from a Warden 09

by Tak



Series: Letters from a warden [9]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2014-01-06
Packaged: 2018-01-07 16:07:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1121849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tak/pseuds/Tak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last piece. 6 months of writing and it is now done.</p>
<p>The arch demon, the decision, it all comes down to this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Letters from a Warden 09

The family were stunned by Boone's omission.  
"What do you mean my sweet?" Hawke asked gently while every one else looked on with confusion. From time to time the children would say things, be they wisdoms or nonsense never once she devalued their words.  
"The story ends when the sky falls, when the world is dust and ash. But the sun rises while the moon sets and the grass grows. So it hasn't finished." She nodded as if this was the simplest of truths "the end is a long way off uncle. It was foretold you would live a long life."  
~

Blood spattered her fair skin in thick dark clumps, the remaining grey wardens nodded to each other, Rhiorden ordering Dae to pick her team and meet him at the dreadfort.  
"Together into the breach?" Zevran asked her wiping all manor of gunk from his face.  
She sighed "not this time." She lay her hand upon his shoulder when she saw his brows knot together. "I need some one to hold the line, some one to keep them from our backs and there is no one I trust more than you to do that." She smiled brushing his hair back from his face. "It will all be over before you know it."   
"You know, to be by your side I would storm the dark city it's self."   
"I know." She kissed him lightly, a soft quick kiss as though she were simply going to market not to battle.   
"Oghren, Sten with me. Zev look after Wynne and Remi. Maker knows she at least will miss your flirtations should I take you with me." She laughed, turning to join Alistair and the team to take Dreadfort.   
Zevran caught her hand and with a mighty tug yanked her back into his arms, pulling her close to him, kissing her deeply and holding her tight. She indulged him, returning his passion before She giggled, prying her self away.   
"Off with you." Playing light of the situation, "We must save Ferelden. Don't fret, sooner than you can miss me I will be back." Flashing him final radiant smile.

The road to the arch demon was paved with thick black blood of dark spawn. As the young wardens party pushed forward.  
Rhiorden had mounted the beast in flight, ripping it's wing and stabbing it until it shrieked, but before it faltered, he fell from its back, tumbling helplessly to the ground. His failure written on the cobble stones with a heavy wet thump.  
The armies they had gathered over the year stood with them, cutting ogres and waves of shrieks until finally they came upon the arch demon.   
Dae called back the ground forces, pulling them from the feet of the dragon to deal with the waves of dark spawn distracting them from the task at hand.   
Lighting crackled over head as she added her strength to the Mages whittling the arch demon down, the Dalish elves bombarded it from afar with arrows until finally the monstrous beast staggered and the two young Grey Warden knew what had to be done.   
"Let me." Alistair began, taking off his helmet and walking up to her. His eyes were solemn yet his courage remained like iron.  
"Alistair." She protested "no..."  
"I got one up on you. I'm not just a Grey Warden, I'm the king." He took a deep breath "And I want to be a good king, and this right here is the best king I can be." Chuckling sadly. "My first and last act being to stop the blight before it really starts, no one could blame me for that. Could they?"   
Dae placed her hand on his, over his sword to still the shakes she could see under the armour.  
"You're the best friend I could have ever have asked for. I would be dead if you hadn't saved my life a dozen times over by now." he placed his hand on hers and uttered softly. "So let me save yours just this once."  
"My knight in shining armour." Her free hand touched his cheek and bent his head she kissed the courier of his mouth.   
"You will be brilliant, Alistair you will be the best. But this isn't you sacrifice." Her hand slipped around the hilt of his sword, he tried to flinch away but he couldn't move.  
"Tell Zevran." She choked for a second. "tell him I'm sorry, and I love him, this doesn't change anything. And you, my lord king, give him a job when this is done. Maker knows you could use a crows mistrust to keep you safe."  
She whipped the tears from her eyes and lifted the sword. Turning to the wounded and thrashing dragon. It opened its gaping maw and let loose a fire ball that swallowed her as she walked to wards it. She coward at first raising her free hand to shield herself feeling the heat bite at her skin, she swallowed the fear and like walking to the urn of sacred ashes she strode forward confidant, as what was left of her tears evaporated from her cheeks. She drove the sword into its skull with all the might she had. a light ripped through her. The heat was not fire any longer, it was soul, the pain was not physical. What was left of the old god that was tainted to become the arch demon vying for space within her body.   
She closed her eyes, combating pain with the thoughts of the year.   
Her time spent with Wynne and Morrigan the mother and the sister she wished she was born with. Alistair the brother she never knew how much she loved. Her hound Remi, the stoic Sten even, Oghren drunk and inappropriate had made her time worth while.  
Lastly Zevran, the smiling assassin. Her first and only love.  
Finally she smiled.

Zevran wiped the blood from his brow as the last dark spawn fell.   
The light shot up from the keep, a single beam into the sky. He and his companions left to guard the gate watched in a saddened awe. It was beautiful, each piece of light twisting around each other with in the spectrum, climbing for the highest point in the sky. As the mages, the soldiers and the Dalish the combined forces of their treaty let forth a thunderous cheer the companions knew at least one of their grey wardens wasn't coming back.  
Sten led the party back, the large qunari more solemn than usual. His head bent, posture Overtly rigid. Oghren followed, mighty axe shouldered rather than strapped to his back. He looked at Zevran for a moment before clenching his teeth and looking away.   
Zevran began searching his mind for prayers, begging every god he had ever heard of in his travels that the next face he see be Dae.   
She had promised, she had looked into his eyes and sworn to him that the sacrifice would not be hers, that she would come back.   
He closed his eyes.   
Wynne placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, a comforting gesture not needed if it was Dae walking towards them.   
He opened his eyes.  
Heavy plated boots crunched through ashes, gravel and blood. Making their way towards the band that held the front gate as though they dragged a ton of weight behind them.   
Alistair carried the limp form of Dae in his arms, her head curled against his chest, her arms across herself. There was no marks, a little spattered blood, her pale flesh un bruised her eyes closed. She looked as though she slept.   
Zevran heard the clatter of his blades against the stone, though he didn't feel them fall from his hands. He felt the gravel dig into his knees but he never noticed his legs give way.   
indescribable pain gripped his heart for a second before everything became numb. Remi the brave Mabari ran to Alistair, but when he got no response from either him or his master he ran back to Zevran. Looking to him for answers. Wynne covered her mouth, tears already welled in her eyes.   
He placed his hand on the Mabari petting the confused hound. Comforting him, though there was no comfort for himself. He followed Alistair. As they walked through the cheering crowds as a hush came over them. Not just out of respect of their battle weary king but for their lost hero in his arms.

The funeral passed by Zevran like a fog. Weighing down his movement clouding his vision, yet it was nothing he could see or touch.   
Alistair spoke as she lay on the slab. Standing in his kingly regalia, armour shining in the sun before all those that knew her. The area was packed, she had touched so many lives in her short time.   
The dwarves Bodhan and Sandal, the keeper of the Dalish elves, the high enchanter, people he recognised and people he didn't. A small red headed boy approached her holding flowers, for a moment he lingered next to the stone slab she lay on. He lay the lilies in her hands and kissed her knuckles before returning to his lone corner.   
Slowly every one did what Zevran could not, say goodbye, leave a tribute, thank her for her sacrifice.   
He watched as human, elf, dwarf even Sten the qunari one by one lined up, until she was surrounded with flowers and small trinkets.   
"It was no accident she was there that day." Alistair had found his voice and it rang strong and true through the clearing   
"She was special, and each of us had our lives touched by her in some way.  
I thought we would be together for ever," he paused looking down at her lying amongst the tributes a soft smile on her lips, he caught Zevran's eye as if the next sentence was for him as well. "We thought your laughter and kindness would warm us for years, you taught us so much in such a short time. The grey wardens couldn't have asked for any one finer.  
Friends lets us hope she has gone to a better place and she knows just how thankful we are for what she has done here.  
You will be missed more than I can possibly say." His voice broke, sadness croaking his words. He squeezed her hand one last time before disbanding the gathering.

Zevran stood there alone until the sun hung low. Finally with great trepidation he approached her. The soft wind had blown her hair onto her face.  
For the last time he tucked it behind her ear gently stroking the strand back with a single finger. As he feared the numbness subsided and looking at her still and silent he felt his heart shatter.  
Bending slowly over her form he touched his forehead to hers.  
"You lied." He whispered tears beginning to slide between his lashes. "You lied to me. You promised me you'd live. And yet you went to the one place I could not follow."  
Her skin was cold, not the crisp temperature she kept herself, just cold as the wind had made her. He pulled the Dalish gloves out of his pouch and placed them by her side. He stroked her face one last time, before kissing her lips.   
"I will dream of you, little flower. Until I find you again."

A week had passed, Zevran looked at the light raiding from the tavern window, perhaps it had been longer than a week, he turned back to his drink bad continued to drown himself in it.  
A man in heavy armour clunked as he sat down, taking off his helmet and laying it on the bar. "Many answers at the bottom of that tankard?"   
Zevran sighed heavily recognising the jovial tone for their very own king Alistair.  
"No answers but when a woman's arms give you no comfort ale is the best balm." He said darkly.   
Alistair swallowed at the assassins pain. 'Have you been here since..?"   
"Yes." Zevran snapped cutting him off. "Every day. Alone, a state to which I would like to return."   
Alistair mulled his words, leaving silence between them for a moment while the rogue fumed.   
"You know I loved her too." He began taking a sip of his ale picking at his tankard "Difference Is she loved you back."  
Zevran scoffed nastily "Does your new wife know that she will be ever in the shadow of a dead woman."  
"Ha! Elissa is in no woman's shadow." The king laughed heartily, "She has her own light, just like Dae. Nothing can replace that light or compare to it." He paused "A candle that burned to bright to fast."  
Zev was quiet, digesting the kings words.  
"You know." Alistair continued "Before the end, She kissed me, I was busy worrying that as I was going to stab the arch demon I would trip and fall on my own sword, and she kissed me goodbye, suddenly it was all... Better. She said goodbye, and as she lingered I knew it wasn't me going to the end. She put her hand in mine and took my sword, I couldn't stop her, she told me to tell you she was sorry, that she loved you and will continue to love you. Then she made me promise to give you a job. Her exact words were "Maker knows you could use a crows mistrust to keep you safe. ."  
Alastair chuckled, before his face became dark, "I had to watch, unable to move."  
"You got a goodbye, it's more than I got." Zevran uttered darkly.  
"That was how she spared you. Can you imagine if you had been there watching?"  
"If I had been there it may not have happened at all." He snapped "She saw your life more worthy than our love."   
"You know that's a lie." Alistair said softly.  
"Then why?"  
The king sighed heavily "I don't know." Swivelling in his chair he faced the assassin "You meant the world to her, I can't imagine she would give all that up for nothing.  
Zevran's eyes dropped to the bar, he licked his lips "I just wish..."  
"Maybe she did," Alistair patted him on the shoulder "She was always writing notes and drawing pictures maybe there was something in the journal."

~  
Boone dashed away with a flurry of red curls racing to her mothers tent, pushing Willow out of the way.   
Zevran turned casually to Hawke and Fenris. "Has your daughter always been this bizarre?"  
"In Varying degrees." She sighed, "but it's almost always important."  
The child returned with Dae's big leather bound journal in her little hands. Carefully she put it in Zevran's lap and skipped through the pages until she came to the back of the book. Little nails picked at the seam, pulling the back page off, tearing the glue apart frantically until she revealed a piece of paper. It was white, clean and pristine unlike the rest of the book, folded carefully in four, in dark careful hand was written, "A mi Amor."

__  
Zevran,  
I have started this letter a thousand times, and before that, I have had this conversation a thousand more times in my head.   
I can only speak from my heart and hope you understand. 

Her voice trickled into his ear like she stood next to him while he read. He could feel her breath warming his ear.

_I was shown the future. I was shown a fight, a war, ten fold greater than the blight. A war that I could help but only from the fade. I was also shown a child scared and alone in the fade dreams, she needed guidance and protection from that which lurks where the dreamer walks._  
It's riddles and nonsense I know. But I saw it bright and clear as day along with my end.   
It's not death I fear, it's leaving you behind. It's repeating Rinna, and so many parts of your life.   
Promise me there will be no guilt, it is no ones fault only fate. smile my love, if you can do one thing in my memory love and smile. 

He drifted into her words. Carried with each stroke of the pen away from the fire side and to an empty place. He saw her, raven hair floating against a pale blue dress, as she stood back to him in the green mist.   
She turned slowly, bare feet silent on a ground he didn't even know what the composition was. She smiled, her eyes pale, their lids dark, a familiar streak of bright red a hand print of blood across her face. Sparking a lost memory from a time soon after her demise.  
"You saved me in Antiva" he stammered.  
"Of course." Her voice was as quiet as a whisper, a smile on her lips. "I have been keeping my eye on you." She reached out and a cold hand brushed his cheek.   
He grabbed her hand. Pulling her knuckles to his lips, running another hand up her arm. Touching her, testing her, feeling her flesh. He gathered her up in his arms, burying his face in her hair. Her arms were sluggish to go about him. As if they trailed through water.  
"And the inquisition?" He asked.  
"I had matters to attend to with the rips in the fade, but you were in good hands with Hawke." She stroked his hair.  
"I have missed you." It was his turn to whisper "it has been years,"  
"The letter was suppose to reach you sooner, but I could not equate for every single thing that could happen to all of us." She chuckled "I should have guessed Hawke's life would be eventful. And yours "señor jefe asesino. I thought you promised you were done with the Crows."  
"I thought you promised you wouldn't kill the arch demon."   
Dae's smile didn't slide but her faded features showed her sorrow.   
"We all thought you were a terrible liar. And in the end you pulled one over on us."  
"I learned from the best." Her fingers trailed his jaw.  
"Why, why didn't you say goodbye?"  
She toyed with his hair, reminiscing on a similar situation during her life in which she had been hurt and confused begging for answers.  
"You would have changed my mind." She said simply.  
He swallowed back other questions, the berating ones, the ones that had been replaying in his mind for the last decade because he knew the answer, fate. Some twisted creator decided they should be thrown together and then ripped apart in the blink of an eye. He could squander this time, asking the same hurt questions over and over or he could see this for what it was.  
This was her goodbye.  
The letters the journal, it was all meant so that he could understand. But this letter, this spell was her last chance to give him the goodbye they both never got.  
A mist crept around their feet, strange noise gargled in the distance. Dae didn't flinch, in this realm in this forgotten part of the fade she seemed so calm.   
"Death has given you confidence." He told her.   
"Naturally." A wry notion tugged her lip "after all what are my enemies going to do to me now?"  
They laughed together, while she studied his features.   
A few wrinkles clustered at the corners of his eyes, White began to creep into the hair at the corners of his temples but not much else had changed.  
"My smiling assassin." She said as she held him, "Thief of my heart."   
He kissed her "my Little flower." 

_  
It took me an hour to know you and only a day to fall in love. And I shall carry that with me until the heavens fall to earth and nothing is left but gods._

_I can only give you my love and my Thanks this last yeah has been more than I could imagine._  
I will wait for you in the fade  
All my love until that time.  
Little Flower 


End file.
